Counter Culture: Hass is Smoking Hot

Ethnic eateries in a strip mall are sometimes a dime a dozen. But walk into Hass, and you know you’re onto a good thing. The heavy-hanging aroma of wood-fired meat greets you in the doorway. And you can’t miss the obnoxiously large spit of rotating red pastor.

You’d be hard-pressed to go wrong with whatever you order, but start with the tacos that pay homage to owner Israel Jimenez’s Sonora, Mexico, roots. The standouts are the flavorful and tender Los-Guachos-rivaling Taco Pastor ($1.75) with onion, cilantro and pineapple, and the buttery Taco Shrimp ($2.99), fried in a perfectly flaky batter and topped with cabbage and carrot slaw and a spread of mayo.

While the Carne Asada was good in a taco ($2.25), it’s much more interesting in the Papa Caliente ($9.99)—a sort of intensely loaded baked potato with wood-grilled mash topped with mushrooms, cheese, peppers, bacon and smoky carne asada. 7370 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-760-0155, facebook.com/tacos-hass